Google Unveils Motorola Nexus 6 Phablet And HTC Nexus 9 Tablet

Michael Moore joined TechWeek Europe in January 2014 as a trainee before graduating to Reporter later that year. He covers a wide range of topics, including but not limited to mobile devices, wearable tech, the Internet of Things, and financial technology.

Google announces two new Nexus devices, both of which will run Android 5.0 Lollipop

Google has added two new devices to its Nexus range, the Nexus 6 phablet and Nexus 9 tablet, both of which will be the first to run the latest version of the Android operating system, version 5.0 Lollipop, which was revealed alongside the two gadgets.

The Nexus 6, made by Motorola, is the latest in the series of Google’s well-received mobile devices, although its six inch screen puts it firmly in the phablet category alongside the likes of Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4.

6 of the best

The new smartphone features a powerful 2.7GHz Snapdragon 805 processor backed up by 2GB of RAM. Google says the 3320mAh battery will last over 24 hours from a full charge, and that the Nexus 6 will get up to six hours of use from just 15 minutes of charge – a new function it calls Turbo Charge.

The Nexus 6 is well set up for media and entertainment, too, as its “Quad HD” 5.96 inch screen packs in a 1440 x 2560 resolution, which works out at 493 ppi, meaning it should produce incredibly detailed images and video. The device also comes with dual front-facing speakers, much like those seen on HTC’s recent smartphones, which should provide high-quality stereo sound for movies and games.

But the handset also packs a mighty 13 megapixel rear camera with an f2.0 lens alongside tools such as HDR+ and optical image stabilisation, meaning you will be able to capture highly-detailed images no matter where you are and how dark the light is.

Available with either 32GB or 64GB memory, the Nexus 6 will be available to pre-order in the UK on October 29, arriving in November and costing $649 (£407) for the contract-free 16GB version.

The full 9

The metal-bodied Nexus 9 tablet is HTC’s first entry into the non-mobile device market since its own-brand Foray device.

Weighing just 436g, the aluminium-fronted device also features a soft-grip back meaning you should have no trouble holding it in one hand. Inside, it packs an 8.9i inch HD display capable of displaying 2K video, alongside an 8MP rear camera and 1.6MP front-facing lens. However, the Nexus 9 offers a few changes from existing Android tablets by offering a 4:3 aspect ratio, making apps easier to view and use.

Powered by a Tegra K1 64-bit 2.3GHz dual-core processor from Nvidia alongside 2GB of RAM, the Nexus 9 also follows the example set by HTC’s recent One and One M8 smartphones, featuring dual front-facing speakers with the company’s smart amp and BoomSound profile for speaker mode.

It will be available in 16GB, 32GB and 32GB LTE models, with UK pre-orders opening from October 17. Costing $399 (around £250) for the 32GB version the Nexus 9 will go on sale at various UK retail outlets and operators including Currys, PC World, John Lewis, Argos, Amazon.co.uk, Three and O2, on November 3.

“The Nexus 9 is a great example of what can be achieved when two companies, united in their passion for innovative technology, come together to create a product with the user experience at the very center of the design process,” said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC.

“HTC’s unrivalled design language combines with the very latest software advancements to deliver a premium tablet, inside and out. We are thrilled to be able to bring this product to market.”